Written by

Bryan Alexander

USA Today

In 1988, when Ronald Reagan was president, the red-haired Chucky knifed his way into becoming a box-office horror sensation with “Child’s Play.”

Twenty-five years later the notorious doll has killed at least 40 victims and improbably survived five on-screen deaths as his sixth film, “Curse of Chucky,” came out on Blu-ray and DVD this week.

“Chucky kills again and again. And he gets killed again and again,” says actress Jennifer Tilly, who makes her third appearance with a “Curse of Chucky” cameo. “I used to say the only thing that will kill Chucky for good is bad box office. That hasn’t happened yet. He keeps getting resurrected. It doesn’t matter if he gets burned up or chopped into tiny pieces or if somebody blows him away. He’s always going to find a way to come back.”

Series creator/writer/director Don Mancini was a film student at UCLA when he came up with the concept of the killer doll. He wanted to make a statement about the role of marketing in society, particularly the campaign for the “creepily popular” Cabbage Patch doll craze.

“I was a horror fan so I dreamed about creating an iconic character,” says Mancini.

Fans were creeped out by the smiling doll who took on the soul and lethal habits of a dying serial killer after a voodoo ritual.

“ ‘Child’s Play’ opened Nov. 9, 1988. How sad that I remember the exact date,” Mancini says. “That was the day my life changed.”

The film opened at No. 1, and grossed more than $44 million worldwide. That success spawned sequels “Child’s Play 2” (1990) and “Child’s Play 3” (1991). The menacing doll then went comedic with a killer family in “Bride of Chucky” (1998) and 2004’s “Seed of Chucky.”

The franchise has brought in more than $250 million from sales of videos, DVDs, video on demand and merchandise, says Mancini.

The doll has worked its way into the national psyche, as it is frequently lampooned in “The Simpsons” and has appeared on “Saturday Night Live.” Tampa Bay Buccaneer fans waved Chucky dolls to honor their red-haired look-alike football coach, Jon Gruden.

On screen, Chucky has killed Hollywood stars such as John Ritter and director John Waters (who starred as an obnoxious paparazzo). A 19-year-old Katherine Heigl got her start in “Bride of Chucky.”